Serendipity An Eclectic Eatery

Good solid sandwich and breakfast place. A step up from a diner atmosphere but still comfortable. Good service and all liked our food pretty well. I’d come back!

Back to Purdue last weekend and decided to try this place for brunch. I ordered the Ribeye sandwich and it was such a disappointment: the meat was salty and dry. Since there are many better choices in the area, probably won’t be back.

Great restaurant! Always have great service and the food is outstanding.

$ 2.99 for a cup of coffee is a bit steep. I can get a better coffee for less in Indy. Servers up charge without warning you, so be prepared to spend money if you don’t pay close attention.

Dinner is a whole different ballgame at Serendipity. Having enjoyed brunch here twice, I suggested that my husband and I stop here for a quick dinner after visiting an art show downtown.
We walked in to the nicely lit restaurant and were shown to a booth. There were only two other parties dining at that time (about 8:30 on a Friday night). When they brought our menus, however, we were a bit shocked to see that the restaurant, which seems like a nice diner at brunch, is going for fine-​dining during dinner. The entrees were pricey, most over $ 20. I think we were just shocked– I don’t necessarily expect fine-​dining when I sit down in a booth. We had hoped for something more along the line of sandwiches and salads, as I had seen on their menu at brunch.
Since we were there, we decided to go with it, and ordered a large mixed green salad to start. A mix of greens, nuts, and goat cheese, this was good, though not exceptional.
For the main course, I had ordered a smoked salmon appetizer. I love smoked salmon, and as I was only wanting a lighter dinner, I figured this would be a perfect portion for me with the salad.
Unfortunately, there was somehow a miscommunication on this, and the server brought me the salmon entrée instead. It looked good and I didn’t want to go through the trouble or waste of sending it back, so I offered to eat it anyways. Although it was a heavier dish than I had wanted, it was delicious– perfectly cooked and seasoned salmon served over a bed of couscous with a light citrusy sauce.
My husband ordered a shrimp pasta dish, basically penne with shrimp in an simple crème sauce. This dish was again unremarkable but satisfying.
I would have appreciated if the server had charged me the price of the appetizer I ordered instead of the main dish that I got, or if he had offered a drink or dessert on the house, but he did not.
All in all, it was a good meal, but the atmosphere of the restaurant does not match the upscale dinner menu. I would continue to come here for breakfast or lunch but probably not for dinner.

Had dinner at Serendipity last night. Thought it would be crowded after a football game, but it was not. We had a nice dinner in a relaxed setting. The buttermilk pork chop with corn stuffing was nicely done and the soups (tomato, potato leek) were good. The pear tart was excellent. People seem to go to Serendipity for brunch and lunch, but it is certainly a place worth trying out for dinner.

Greater Lafayette has a dearth of brunch restaurants, so I *really* wanted to like Serendipity. I mean, who doesn’t like delicious breakfast food coupled with booze? Sadly, the quest for breakfast & booze is still on-​going; Serendipity did not deliver the magic.
TO THE REVIEW: The first time we went to Serendipity, my husband and I sat in the balcony area (kind-​of nice), and though we were initially a bit disappointed that they did not yet have a liquor license, we got over it, and imagined the potential this place had.
Then we were presented with an unappetizing basket of muffins — they were the kind that are slightly too moist & sticky on the outside, and kind-​of cold — like you get at a gas station, but smaller. Not a good sign. Then my orange juice was quite obv. from concentrate, and also of the cheap variety. What’s the point? I sighed, and hoped that the eggs benedict florentine would be their redemption.
Alas, the egg was over-​poached, the english muffin soggy, and the hollandaise sauce was a bit cold, and also slightly separated (worst of both worlds!). There was also almost no flavor to the dish. My husband got a waffle, which was pretty typical (he enjoyed it just fine), and some bacon (not as crispy as he wanted — and he specifically ordered it that way). They had real maple syrup, so that was good, but not enough to redeem them.
Attributing the first experience to growing pains, we returned. It was St. Patty’s Day, the TV was playing «How It’s Made,» and they had a drink menu (I ordered something related to the holiday — it was drinkable but nothing special). We got coffee, which was a bit burned, and again were given some mediocre pastries (a bit better than our first basket though). I got an omelette, and Dan got pancakes. Both were acceptable, but not great, which makes me think that this place really is just an overpriced Denny’s with booze.
Since alcohol has a well-​established link to future Denny’s (or TripleXXX) visits, it is only logical that someone took the next step and built a Denny’s in a bar. If only Serendipity were open at 4am!
Breakfast snobs of Greater Lafayette: I’m sorry to say you’re still out of luck. :(

After attempting to go to another breakfast place that was packed on homecoming weekend, we decided to give Serendipity a try. I was hesitant having seen the reviews here on Unilocal,but we gave it a shot and it was excellent! We all joked at how serendipitous it was.
Two of us had omelets, a third the breakfast special, and french toast for the kid. Every one was delicious. The potatoes on the side alone were worth the trip. Service was good and I was pleasantly surprised at the nice interior. I am really shaking my head at the other reviews — this was one of the better meals I’ve had in this town, and we’ll definitely be back.

We were excited to go to a new brunch place downtown. The new places that have been showing up are trying to fill a long-​standing gap in Lafayette cuisine — something between, say, Sunrise Diner and Bistro. Several downtown establishments (Uncorked, for example) are doing a great job at this, and we were hopeful Serendipity would hold their own.
We got in relatively late — around 1pm Sunday — and sat at a table for 15 minutes while watching 7 – 8 members of staff do «stuff» in a restaurant where maybe 5 tables were occupied. We were eyed by staff members several times, but nobody came over.
After having to go ask the hostess, we finally got someone to take our order: egg sandwich, ½ biscuits gravy, vegetarian omelette, chocolate chip pancake for the kid. Margarita, coffee, and a milk.
The milk came in a kid’s cup with a dirty straw. The omelette was okay, but nothing special, especially for the price. The sandwich and ½ gravy were just thrown onto plates, and the over-​easy eggs were overdone. Both the gravy and the omelette needed salt — fortunately there was plenty on the margarita, which was decent. The +$ 1 «grocery-​store fruit side» and the +$ 1.50 «chocolate chips in your pancake» seem to mark a Lafayette restaurant that thinks it’s better than the food it’s putting out.
Unfortunately, this kind of experience ruins a first impression. We would love to have a go-​to place for brunch and other meals downtown, but we’re not sure Serendipity will be it — slow service, just-​okay food, pricey. We can get that at Triple XXX, hold the pricey.

Went for breakfast and the eggs benedict was delicious. At first I was upset to hear the hollondaise had run out, but they made some more fresh for us and it was amazing. It came with hash browns and a «pastry basket» which I thought would be an individual basket but 4 of us ordered the eggs benedict and we only got 1 basket with 4 – 5 small pastries in it. But all were delicious. Our server was also really helpful and friendly and the atmosphere is spacious and sunny.

Mother’s Day at opening and there were already people waiting to get in. We were among the first in and to order. Our food arrived promptly and just as ordered. The special was crab cake benedict: two perfectly poached eggs atop two crab cakes topped with their tasty holandaise, a side of their delicious potatoes and a coffee. Everything was delicious and being offered the coffee to go was a bonus. Thank you.

I was excited to try this new breakfast place downtown. We are very limited downtown for early morning type food. I’ll keep it short and simple. The food has changed from what was suppose to be organic/​all natural, to frozen veggie burgers and cheap fruit. The coffee is terrible, but from what I understand its K. DEES Coffee so that makes since.
Anyhow I don’t see the place hanging around long :-(

I was in general pretty disappointed with this place. First of all, it’s called «Serendipity, An Eclectic Eatery» so I was expecting it to be a bit funky. Instead the open space felt extremely sterile and boring, with a huge TV playing Nickelodeon. Weird.
Foods tried: 1) Eggs Benedict Florentine was okay, it really really lacked flavor. I don’t usually add salt to any of my food and I still felt this was bland, so it was that bland. 2) French Toast was DELICIOUS. Maple syrup was extra but they gave it to us for free, which was very nice (thank you). 3) 2 eggs with choice of meat. Everything was cooked okay, except the bacon was tiny little strips which were mostly complete fat. I’ve never even seen bacon cut that thin before.
So at the end of the day it’s okay, but it’s not cheap enough to just be okay, it really needs to be better.

Been here a few times for both breakfast and lunch. Both the breakfasts and lunches were good, but the breakfasts are far superior (good omelets, eggs benedict, pancakes, and scones/​pastries). The breakfasts come with a choice of potatoes or fresh fruit, which is really nice.
They atmosphere is really nice and the service has always been good. Even when I had a short lunch break and they were busy, they were able to get me in and out in 45 minutes.
They are open on Sundays which is rare downtown, so that is a huge plus.
They used to have some organic/​local options, but apparently customers complained and they removed some of them? I guess that’s Indiana for you.

Good stuff. Been for breakfast and lunch. Friendly staff and good food. Not the cheapest but a nice addition to downtown. I recommend the Reuben.

I returned and had the Tex Mex burger with the grass-​fed beef. According to the menu, the Tex Mex Burger has chipotle mayonnaise, avocado, jalapeños, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions. Based on the description, I was expecting a burger with a bit of a kick along the lines of Scotty’s Mo Fo burger, but it wasn’t spicy at all. Also, had the bread pudding which was good, but not as good as Nine Irish Brother’s bread pudding. The fries were still really good though (though I wish they would use a brand of ketchup that isn’t so sweet).

Everyone told me that I really had to give this place another chance after my initial bad experience. I should’ve gone with my gut, because this time it was even worse. My entire table was disappointed in the service, the food, and the price point. My omelet was terrible and small. If I were cooking at home and in my own kitchen, I would never have made myself something so bland. The side of fruit I paid extra for was neither fresh nor seasonal. They gave me about half a cup of grapes, unripe honeydew, and overripe cantaloupe. My bill was over $ 16, including a $ 3 mug of watery coffee. The waitress couldn’t give us any information about the source of our food. When it came time to pay, they only had one pen. I know I said before that I won’t be going back, but this time I mean it.

I ate there this morning around 11:30 and there was a pretty good crowd. My boyfriend and I both ordered breakfast, although I would like to return to try the hamburgers.
I had the eggs benedict florentine which others have commented on. I thought it was fine. It was not the best I’ve ever had, but if the restaurant is dedicated to local and organic food I can understand why the tomatoes aren’t at their most flavorful in February. My boyfriend had the carnivore omelet and loved it. The potatoes that came with both were excellent. OH! I almost forgot, they also give you homemade scones while you wait for your meal which is a very nice little detail.
What I love about this place is the atmosphere which is a great balance between casual and pretty. It’s MUCH nicer than Sunrise Diner or XXX and is a much better option for a nice brunch.
I will also return because of their dedication to organic and local food. Knowing the origin of your food is invaluable to me. I also like their attitude toward the business which is evidenced in the service, the quirky menu and the Saturday morning cartoons. This feels like a real person small business.
Of course, the higher quality and responsible ingredients lead to slightly higher prices, but they are not outrageous. My Eggs benedict was 9 $ and I think my boyfriend’s omelet was like 7.50 or something. The coffee seemed slightly expensive at $ 3 but it is K. Dee’s coffee and you get free refills. If you want responsible, honest food, it will cost you slightly more. Period. If that isn’t worth the extra couple dollars, it might not be the place for you. but gosh is it pretty in there in the morning! It feels so much different than when Pre was there.
I can’t give it five stars because the food just was not memorable enough, but I will definitely be back whenever I’m craving a nice breakfast.

Had the Chicken and roasted pepper sandwich while I was there. Pretty good, no complaints, fast and friendly service.
Portion:Price ratio seems a little out of whack. $ 11.50 for that sandwich was a bit much. Fix that aspect and I’d give 5 *‘s

My husband, son and I visited Serendipity for breakfast the day after they opened their doors and we were thrilled. The food was delectable and fresh, the portions are generous.
The service was super friendly and the atmosphere is inviting.
The menu is diverse and the staff can actually tell you where your food came from. (in fact, having this information available for you is a downright obsession of theirs… my kind of folk.)
I was surprised when we returned the next week and everyone remembered us. (quite a rarity, even in a city as small as this)
They play cartoons on Saturday mornings so kids have something to distract them while they wait to eat and the table coverings are paper so they can draw as well.
We’ve been back twice more since that first visit and have loved every meal.